Method of forming wheel disks



Jan. 8, 1929.

, 1,698,373 E. A. NELSON METHOD OF FORMING WHEEL DISKS Original Filed March 17, 1927 2 Sheets-Shet 1 9 {7 v v Ill-Hill J l 21 J .79 Z! fi 4 lnuercfor' l fiuL/gfi elamb Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

UNITED sT TEs PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL A. NELSON, DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0

STEEL WHEEL CORPORATION, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHI- GAN.

Original application filed larch 17, 1927, Serial No. 176,112. Divided; and this application illed METHOD OI FORMING WHEEL DISKS.

September 28, 1927. Serial No. 222,433.

The invention relates to the manufacture of disk wheels and more articularly to the production of fashioned ished disks of radially tapering cross section, and is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 176,112 filed March 17, 1927.

In the present state of the art disks ofth s character have been manufactured by various methods. In certain of these methods a fiat blank of uniform cross section is rolled or machined While still in the flat to produce the desired radial taper and is subsequently pressed to the desired form. Other methods produce the tapered blank in d1fferent ways but none are adapted to fashion the disk to its final form simultaneously with the taper produ'cing operation.

It is the object of the present invention to simplify the operation and to speed up pro-- duction first by devising a disk of such form that it may be tapered and fashioned in one operation; and second, by a novel method performing these operations.

For purposes of exemplification, rather than limitation, a preferred embodiment of a machine adapted to racticing the 1 nven tion is set forth in the ollowing descr ption and in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. '1 is a sectional elevation of a; machine for carryin 'out my improved method showing the fas ioned disk resting thereon;

. Fig. 2 is partially a horizontal section through the bearing axis with moving parts in top plan; and

' Fig. 3 is a.horizontal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. r i

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of one member of the two-part adjustable bed plate.

Disk wheels of the single disk type are of a great variety of forms but are all dished along simple or compound curved lines to produce the necessary stability and, insome instances, to impart a pleasing design. The production of the taper in the blank by rolling requires an expensive construction of machine, it being necessary that the forming rolh should travel radially while exerting very heavy pressure.

It is one of the features of my improvement that the taper ortion of the blank is of a radial arcuate orm so that it may be developed by a roll or other forming tool traveling about a center. Another feature is that the center of movement of the forming tool is slightly eccentric to the arc of the table or platen thereby automatically producing a radially outward taper.

As illustrated, a machine for carrying out bearings 19 and trunnions'or journals 20 engaging the said bearin s.

These trunnions are attached to the hea s 21 having bearings 22 for revoluble forming rolls 23. The axes of these rolls are oblique so that the rolls revolve in oblique planes. converging toward a point in the axis of the spindle 14.

The rolls 23 are also disposed in such relation to the table or platen 13 that when the heads 21 are rocked upon the journals 20 said rolls will trace an arcuatepath adjacent said table.

Arranged in any suitable location, but as shown beneath the bed 11, is a hydraulic cylinder 24. The piston rod 25 of this cylinder is connected with a pair of levers 26, 27 fulcrumed on opposite sides of the bed and extending transversely thereof. The free ends of these levers 26, 27 are connected by rods 28, 29 with the members 21 by means of the brackets 30 and pins 31, the arrangement being such that the movement of the piston will impart simultaneous rocking movements to the members 21 causing the rolls 23 simultaneously to travel throu h arcuate paths from the center to the perip licry of the table or platen 13.

Interposed between the frame12 and thelate 32, 33,

I scribed the method of forming a tapered form corresponding to that which is to be imparted to one face of the disk. The bearings 19 are disposed so that the axes of the trunnions are slightly eccentric to the arcuate contour of the platen in radial cross" .in strength,

fashioned disk produced by the section. The eccentricity is just sufiicient to produce a gradual tapering space between the patliof the roll and the contour of the table, this-corresponding to the desired taper in the disk. 3

' When the machine is properl adjusted a circular blank'such as 35 is the platen 13 and is secured t ereto, coni veniently by engaging a, headed pin 36 which is ressed down upon the platen b a hyrfi'aulically operated plunger 37. fi'h e central portion of the platen surrounding. this pin and within the arcuate portions thereof, is flat so that the blank is firmly clamped to the platen and will be revolved In operation, rotary motion being ims arted to the gears 15 and spindle 14, by raulic pressure is applied by the piston rod 25 to the levers'26 and 27 which, through the rods 28 and 29, .rock the members 21 and the forming rolls 23 carried thereby.

These will first press'upon the blank 30 at 1 a radial. distance from the center of said blank slightly greater than the radius of the flat portion of the platen and will then traverse an arcuate path, gradually spinning aced uponcontour, spinning said the metal of the blank the platen.

7 At the completion of the operation the blank will be tapered in radial cross section into conformity to and will also be expanded in diameter to a corresponding degree. This operation is preferably performed upon comparatively soft metal which durin the spinning operation, is hardened an great y increased The taper method just described may be attached to the wheel mm ,in any suitable manner as, for instance, by pressing the peripheral portion of the disk laterally to form an attachment flange. v v

I claim:

1. The method of forming dished disks of tapering radial cross section, com rising the mounting of a flat blank on a fas ione platen, spinning said platen and blank to conform the latter to the. former and simultaneously to progressively thin and radially expand the-same.

' 2. The method of forming dished disks of tapering, radial cross section, comprisin the mounting ofa flat blank upon a revo uble platen having a portion arcuate in 'radial I laten and blank to conforma portion of t elatter to said arcuate contour, and simultaneously rogr'essively thinning and radially expan ing the same.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my. name.

I EMIL A. NELSON. 

